(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device.
(b) Description of Related Art
Display devices such as liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and organic light emitting displays (OLEDs) have a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix format, and have switching elements selectively receiving image signals. The switching elements use elements having three terminals such as transistors. The display devices further include a plurality of gate lines, which transmit a gate-on voltage for turning on the switching elements, and a plurality of data lines which transmit image signals to the pixels coupled to the switching elements via the turned on switching elements.
In addition, the display devices include a gate driver for applying the gate-on voltage to the gate lines, a data driver for applying the image signals to the data lines, and a signal controller for controlling the gate driver and the data driver.
The gate driver, the data driver, and the signal controller are generally implemented as an integrated circuit (IC) chip mounted on a display panel of the display device. However, technologies for integrating circuits in the display panel, such that they function as the gate driver, the data driver, and the signal controller, have been developed. Recently, display devices with the gate driver integrated in the display panel have come out, allowing the number of signal lines such as gate lines and data lines formed on the panel to be decreased, to realize a compact display panel and decrease manufacturing costs.
However, due to static electricity induced through the integrated circuits during manufacturing, reliability of the display devices is decreased. In particular, the likelihood of damage to the thin film transistors included in stages of the gate driver and supplied with a scanning start signal (STV) increases.